It was a scene no tennis fan wants to witness. Holger Rune, the 2022 Stockholm champion, was looking sharp, leading his semifinal match against Ugo Humbert and seemingly on his way to another final. Then, in an instant, everything changed. A sudden, sharp pain in his left leg brought him to a halt, and with it, his tournament came to a crushing and emotional end.

The crowd watched in stunned silence as Rune, who was leading 6-4, 2-2, pulled up mid-rally. The immediate look of distress on his face told the whole story. This wasn’t just a cramp. This was serious. As the physio rushed onto the court, the young Dane was overcome with emotion, tears welling up as the reality of the situation sank in.

Despite receiving treatment, it was clear he couldn’t continue. The dream of defending his ti

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